Working from Home and Employee Well-Being
Note: This is a crossposted piece of content for blurt.world that I created on 9/28/20. I own and have created this content, see details below.
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Working from home is a privilege. According to some studies, workers are burning out from working from home as the lines between work and leisure are being blurred. What are the risks to your business and employee health as work from home has gone mainstream?
Steve Jobs was famously opposed to having employees work from home due to the merits of spontaneous interactions at work that produced creative output. Productivity measured as economic output per hour worked often overlooks the value of culture and innovation, which become valuable over time. Working from home is a privilege that only a minority of workers can take advantage of, and employees who opt into this practice may face unique challenges as knowledge workers.
What are some negative health aspects of working from home? Burnout, lack of productivity, a lack of team cohesion and a deterioration of workplace culture can be a result of working from home. When employees are always "in the office" while working from home, they feel pressure to be on call and that may transform into burnout over time. Working from home may negatively impact an employee's mental health and well-being during a time of pandemic lockdown.
How can an employer reduce the negative aspects of working from home? Consider a concrete hours of operation model that is clearly laid out as an expectation. Consider bringing workers back to an office or shared work environment as is prudent. Consider virtual happy hours and get-togethers where coworkers can interact and learn culture. Consider also creating a codified and distinct culture that is rigorously communicated. Ensure your employees are aware of substance abuse signs as a biproduct of stress and are given access to mental and physical health resources.
Working from home at the current scale is an experiment in the possible. Empower your employees to succeed in your business and their wellness by writing and creating a plan to ensure they will thrive during the lockdown. Retention and innovation may be the result of your hard work right now.
Originally published in my blurt account at the link below:
https://blurt.blog/blurthealth/@dominion01/working-from-home-and-employee-well-being
Also published in my Steemit account at myblurtrides1.
Sources:
Picture from Pixabay.
You can work from home effectively if the employer or company has a system that allows them to interact with their employees, accompanied by a motivational plan that influences the mood of each worker. However, this unusual situation came very unexpectedly and many companies were not prepared to handle such a contingency. A happy worker is a more productive worker .....
The system is key. We need to codify it to avoid negative externalities and experiences.